Project Polyvore 3

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Wow.I can't believe I...somebody shoot me.You may have heard, but I typed everything up only to do something douchey like PRESS THE WRONG BUTTON and save it when EVERYTHING DISSAPEARED. So that ALL my hours of efforts were tossed into the junk yard abyss of the internets!

Well, it's a new day now, and I'm feeling less furious about that whole incident, so let's try this again...[However, it will all be a lot less impressive than it was the first draft around...]

This is it, guys. This is the moment you've all been waiting for.

What a crazy four months it has been! I want to first apologize for another incredible delay, but I assure you most of it was due to long, careful decision making in naming our champion. This was really the toughest it's ever been, and I mean that. I'm proud of all 4 of you, one for dealing with this all summer and sticking it through to the end, here now almost October, and two because, well, all of you rock. Either you consistantly rocked it, or grew tremendously over the course of challenge, but for both I am impressed. Even more so, I'm once again impressed and thankful that you four lovely ladies stuck through this compition for the entire summer and then some, put up with my procrastination, haha. The judges too!

But a winner still must be chosen tonight. We looked not only at the final collections, but at all past entries, debate through who has been consistantly good, or who has grown, or such. And, still, it was difficult to choose who placed what.

Lets begin as we always do, with a nice healthy dose of critiques. Shall we?

CRITIQUE

BBGal- It's been unanimously decided: you have improved so much since the beginning of this compition, not only among the final 4, but quite possibly in all three rounds this has gone on. You listened to what we had to say [even if sometimes I worry that we are actually quite full of ourselves, and I can't believe I make you guys read this stuff. =D] and experiemented with layout and color combination, but still remained true to something that feels very /you/ all at once. This was especially evident in your final collection's first set, which was as perfect as I think things can get-everything, color, layout, whatever, was balanced and eye catching, soft and edgy at once. So it was a little dissapointed when the next two sets didn't quite measure up to this. Overall, they were far from being /bad/, but, you know, after being blown away, they were kind of getting overshadowed. The main reason for this may also be that the three sets weren't exactly unified in color...they had a certain scheme, yes, but somehow they still didn't feel like they meshed, at least not in pallate. HOWEVER, elements of style that was consist in all three made up for that. So this is going to sound incredibly contradictory, but, while we do like your theme quite a lot [very original, very personal to you.], we found that because it was such a comfortable theme, we didn't think you really pushed outside that zone, and so the outfits then seemed a little lacking...a little commercial. But, then again, I can also argue that the final challenge is more about show casing what you want to put together. So it could go either way. Still, seriously man, this final collection was such a far leap from that set in first challenge, and I mean that as a compliment. [ Remember this? ]

Tripmywire – Had your take on your theme not been so interesting [oh, am I sucker for character sets. Oh yes.], we would've been less impressed with the vampire route. Which really is not your fault, but the army of girls 10 to waytoooldtoreadthatcrap who have come to make the mythical beast so damn trendy. Still, vampires are everywhere, and you could've gone someplace completely different. But your since of style and way of presenting the theme is just too goshdarn /cool/, we went along with it. Or, as a judge said, in regards to your colothing choices “Okay they’re a bit plain, but they breathe sophistication, elegance and style.” which really does sum it up for me. The 'plainness' may have mostly been due to effect of the first set; with the starch white dress, then the darker, harsh colors around it, the center of the set appeared very washed out...something about the dress itself also didn't really feel in the same high fashion noir mood that the others exuded. But the other two, though also a little 'ghostly' as a judge put it, are really freacking cool. The second has some undead Clockwork Orange feel going on, or so I get the impression of, and the third was so BAMF that 1.) used the term 'Bamf' to describe it, and 2.) could over look the leggings. Or not over look them, that's not what's going on, but wait, I actually think they work here! So, not all the judges agreed on that minor detail, but whatever. We were all a little confused about the layouts, though, expecting to see your lovely trademark mosaics. I suppose that was the point, though, yeah? To not do as expected. Personally, I think these layouts are nicely proportioned, but there was something about your particular mosaic that was eyecatching in itself...I know we ragged you on it at times [We are schitzo around here, aren't we?] , but when you did it well, it was brilliantly.

Lola- The problem with you is that you've, most of the time, have done fabulously through each round. I mean, yes, there were your low moments, but for the most part my dear Lola, you rocked. And it was your disregard for magazine dictated laws of fashion that set you apart and thrilled us, with bright neons and crazy yet cohesive prints and shoes and whatnot, that when we saw this, it wasn't so up to par with the funfest you usually deliver. Your theme was cute [again, sucker for characters. I don't even watch GG.], and we liked that it sort of told the story of this girl. But the three sets were the least consistant out of all the collections, and this lack of connection between each set, besides what is explained in the desciption, was what brought you down. As a judge said, “Great fashion choices, very GG esque. It was a cute them but a little inconsistent. I didn't get the vibe that one chick would be wearing all three of these outfits.” The judges were also inconsistent in pegging which one was the best out of the three. Personally, I feel the first is the nicest layout, though the least interesting fashion choices. The second, on the otherhand, is the opposite-cool clothes, a little plain, but cool, but it also seemed very quickly lumped together. I've decided I like the third best, because it was more like the Lola we normally see-quirky, edgy accessories, sweet dress and heels, more balanced than the second but still a little lumpy. Or, said better by a fellow judge, “I like the first one. You can definitely see the outfit. With the other two I feel that everything is being pulled down, the dresses are at the bottom, the accessories are at the bottom. It’s getting really heavy at the bottom. I don’t like that at all. The first set shows more of a balance because the outfit flows above the accessories. Also the images are better placed in comparison to the final two sets. It seems she was in a rush with the last two.” Overall, it received a general 'nice' from us, but we were underwhelmed.

Incubeautee -Ah, the circus! Another theme that's been hitting the mainstream, though when put up to vampires, I suppose its practically underground. Still, the judges and I commemorate you on the fact that the inspiration was drawn from a specific painting [by one of my favorite artists, no less...I suppose that would help, yeah?]. So to sum up how we generally felt about your collection as a whole, here's what one lovely judge had to say: “Great execution of the theme. I think the fashion choices really reflect the characters. Like everyone else pointed out...it was also inconsistent. It also was a bit cluttered.” But before we go into detail about all that, I just wanted to point out how excited I was to see all the crazy color and combinations you choose and how STOKED I was to see that, so kuuu-dos on making it fun. Now, regarding inconsistentcies. The first set we found was the most cluttered, and also weren't so thrilled with the fashion choices here-I suppose they worked to the character, but with all the pictures in the background and the strange dark-ish colors, it somehow seemed camoflauged. Of course, we've been on you about cluttered pictures since the beginning, so, like, whatever. The second set was generally the judges' favorite.There were still a bunch of pictures, but with lighter colors and a super fun combination, this one worked-for your theme, and as a set on its own. Plus, how can you go wrong with sequin shorts and big bow headbands? You can't. Its fact. Now, while the third one might also be a little dark again, and not as...circus-y as the first two, it was a very wearable outfit, yet shoe and accesory choice made it interesting again. So even though the layouts were all pretty much identical, the various combos of color and style didn't quite make for an easy flow [Oh, man. That sounds like having a period. I'm so sorry. But you get my point, yeah?] Said a judge “If she would have made the other outfits more like that one [the second], it would have rocked all the way.”

And so, thank you one and all! Once again with all your spectacular support, we got through cycle three. I don't know how it ever works out, but it did, and you guys are the best people on the internet for sticking by. To be honest with you, I doubt I'll be able to do it again, so I'm very happy to say that this cycle was THE BEST EVER, and, as relieving as it is to be done, I'm still a little sad. Did I say thank you? Well, THANK YOU very much, congrats to the winner, and good night everyone!Its been a hoot and a half. =D

Eloise Kale: Vampire Hunter, midnight superhero, very expensive assassin, dresses like a street walker, eats like an anorexic billionaire. Has an alter ego? Still don't know what that is...like a name the press gave her. Fucking fantastic wardrobe.

Lulu Zombie-Tea Party Queen. Squeaky with a short temper. Baby doll face, bruised violet skin and spiderweb scars. A bit green around the shadows. Decay will do that to a person. Avid Courtney Love worshiper.

S[h]iva is the bassist. She isn't into the excess life of a rockstar as much as the others, that much I know. She just does her job.In Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God. This is what wiki says. I don't know much about it, but I find it all kind of fascinating.

Freya is the guitarist.In Norse mythology, Freyja is portrayed as a goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, but was also associated with war, battle, death, magic, prophecy, and wealth. In otherwords, she seems like a rather fierce B*tch.She deeply loves her fame, and the excess that comes with it.